[Congressional Record Volume 154, Number 36 (Tuesday, March 4, 2008)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E295]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




            COMMEMORATING THE PASSING OF DR. ROBERT JASTROW

                                 ______
                                 

                         HON. DANA ROHRABACHER

                             of california

                    in the house of representatives

                         Tuesday, March 4, 2008

  Mr. ROHRABACHER. Madam Speaker, I would like to commemorate the 
passing of the prominent American scientist Dr. Robert Jastrow on 
February 8, 2008. Born in New York in 1924, Robert Jastrow worked in 
the U.S. lunar landing program, established and managed two scientific 
research centers, and played an active role in national public policy 
debates on national security and environmental policy.
  Robert Jastrow earned his Ph.D. degree in theoretical physics at 
Columbia University. He became an assistant professor at Yale before 
joining the staff at the Naval Research Laboratory. In 1958, Dr. 
Jastrow was chosen to head NASA's new theoretical division. Dr. Jastrow 
immediately set to work planning the future space science program and 
drawing a high level of scientific talent into NASA.
  Dr. Jastrow was convinced of the unique importance of the moon for 
understanding the origin of the earth and the other planets and was an 
early champion of lunar exploration. In 1958, he and Harold Urey, the 
Nobel Laureate chemist, made the case for NASA to build a significant 
program for lunar exploration, resulting in the establishment of the 
Ranger Project.
  With permission from NASA and in association with Columbia 
University, Robert Jastrow organized the Goddard Institute for Space 
Studies and became its first Director in 1961. Scientists at the 
Goddard Institute, a government laboratory which carried out research 
in astronomy and atmospheric science, played a key role in the Pioneer, 
Voyager, and Galileo planetary missions under Jastrow's guidance. In 
recognition of his work, Dr. Jastrow received the NASA Medal for 
Exceptional Scientific Achievement and the Arthur Fleming Award for 
Outstanding Service to the U.S. Government.
  Dr. Jastrow stayed at the helm of the Goddard Institute for 20 years 
before becoming joining the faculty at Dartmouth College, where he held 
the position of Professor of Earth Sciences until 1992. In that year he 
resigned to become Chairman of the Board of Trustees of the Mount 
Wilson Institute, which manages the Mount Wilson Observatory in 
California on behalf of the Carnegie Institution of Washington. Dr. 
Jastrow retired as Director of the Mount Wilson Institute in January 
2003. He also was a member of the Board of Governors of the National 
Space Society.
  With Drs. Frederick Seitz and William Nierenberg, Dr. Jastrow founded 
the George C. Marshall Institute in 1984 to conduct assessments of 
scientific issues affecting public policy. He was an influential figure 
in the public debates on ballistic missile defense and climate change. 
At the Institute, he worked to provide the Congress and successive 
Administrations with perspectives and interpretations of scientific and 
technical matters.
  Dr. Jastrow was a prolific author and public commentator on the space 
program, astronomy, earth science, and national security. He hosted 
more that 100 CBS-TV network programs on space science and was the 
special guest of NBC-TV with Wernher von Braun for the Apollo-Soyuz 
flights. Dr. Jastrow's articles have appeared in the New York Times, 
Time, Reader's Digest, Foreign Affairs, Commentary, Atlantic Monthly 
and Scientific American. His books include Red Giants and White 
Dwarves--the Evolution of Stars, Planets and Life; Until the Sun Dies: 
God and the Astronomers; The Enchanted Loom--Mind in the Universe; 
Astronomy--Fundamental and Frontiers; Journey to the Stars--Space 
Exploration Tomorrow and Beyond, How to make Nuclear Weapons Obsolete 
and Scientific Perspectives on the Greenhouse Problem with William 
Nierenberg and Frederick Seitz. Dr. Jastrow's contributions to science 
will be missed, and I extend my condolences to his family, friends and 
colleagues.

                          ____________________